'Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom' Review: A Flawed, But Fitting End To The DCEU
The DCEU is finally coming to a close with Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom, a sequel that may not reach the heights of its predecessor, but still delivers an entertaining sendoff for the cinematic universe.
Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom reunites audiences with Arthur Curry, played once again by Jason Momoa, who is adjusting to his life as the leader of Atlantis and as a father. Things become even more complicated when Black Manta (Yahya Abdul Mateen II) reemerges and not only puts Aquaman in his sights yet again, but plans on targeting the planet as a whole as well.
The original Aquaman was a bright, colorful, and audacious comic book film that embraced the cheesier aspects of the character wholeheartedly. It was the visual equivalent to a comic book splash page in the best sense and that was due in large part to director James Wan, who returns to direct the sequel. Wan once again does a terrific job making every underwater kingdom or location feel lived-in and fleshed out. The VFX work in many of the underwater scenes look more polished this time around and help enhance the immersion. However, it’s always Wan’s camerawork that stands out and this sequel is no exception. The action sequences have Wan’s distinct visual flair, each of them well-staged and planned with solid fight choreography to boot. He clearly wants his comic book films to look and feel larger than life and both films have benefitted tremendously because of his approach.
However, the highlight of the film lies in the reunion between Momoa’s Arthur and Patrick Wilson’s Orm, the antagonist from the first film. The estranged brothers must work together in order to stop the looming threat that is Black Manta, but their journey to get there is the heart and soul of the film. Their prickly dynamic slowly evolves into something warmer and more brotherly, Momoa and Wilson showcasing palpable chemistry as they sell the change wonderfully. The film is at its best when its focus shifts onto the two brothers, especially in the climac when their relationship is truly put to the test. Momoa is also still having the time of his life as the superhero, relishing every second he gets to play this character. His joyous, dialed-in performance helps keep the film afloat when it wanders into mediocre territory.
Unfortunately, there is quite a bit holding this sequel back from pure comic book bliss. First and foremost, everything in the villain department is lacking this time around. While it’s comforting to see Mateen II’s Black Manta take more of a center stage as the villain, he is once again wasted in the role. He essentially becomes a henchman for a larger, far less compelling evil entity and the talented actor is only given a handful of musical notes to play in his performance. Especially after this sequel, it seems clear Wan simply didn’t know what he wanted to do with this character, a considerable disappointment.
Not helping matters is the underwater politics taking place in Atlantis, which is given a good portion of screen time. Arthur wants to share Atlantis’ resources with the rest of the world in order to help save the planet from total destruction, but his council sees things differently. Their scenes become repetitive and one note, screeching the film to a halt when their conversations take place. Also, while the film is earnestly cheesy, there is plenty of humor that doesn’t work and falls flat here despite Momoa’s best efforts. The jokes and timing of the humor could’ve used more fine-tuning.
The DCEU has been bumpy, dizzying ride to say the least. There have been a handful of worthwhile entries, but the saga as a whole has wasted many great casting choices and beloved storylines from the comics. Fortunately, Momoa and his Aquaman films have been a highlight of this extended universe, always aiming to have fun and carve out their own unique corner. Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom may not be perfect, but neither was the DCEU. This may be the universe’s swan song, but there are far worse ways it could’ve rode off into the sunset.